Veronica Plant Named &#39;TNVERA&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct form of  Veronica  plant characterized by warm pink flowers in free flowering spikes, with some rebloom in late summer, a compact, slow spreading, low mounding habit, excellent dense branching with flower spikes at end of every branch, medium green leaves, excellent vigor, and good garden performance.

BOTANICAL DENOMINATION

Veronica hybrid

VARIETY DESIGNATION

‘TNVERA’

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofVeronica, given the name, ‘TNVERA’. Veronica is in the familyPlantaginaceae (formerly Scrophulariaceae). This new cultivar was foundas a naturally occurring branch mutation of Veronica hybrid ‘Giles VanHees’, an unpatented plant. Compared to the mother plant, Veronicahybrid ‘Giles Van Hees’, the new cultivar has a larger plant size withlarger inflorescences, darker pink flowers, and greater vigor. Comparedto Veronica spicata ‘Rotfuchs’ RED FOX, an unpatented plant, the newcultivar is shorter with larger flowers. Compared to the other pinkflowering Veronica on the market, the new cultivar has a more compacthabit, darker flowers, and is more free-flowering.

The new cultivar exhibits the following characteristics:

1. warm pink flowers in free flowering spikes, with some rebloom in latesummer,

2. a compact, slow spreading, low mounding habit,

3. excellent dense branching with flower spikes at end of every branch,

4. medium green leaves,

5. excellent vigor, and

6. good garden performance.

The new variety has been reproduced only by asexual propagation (stemcuttings and micropropagation). Each of the progeny exhibits identicalcharacteristics to the original plant. Asexual propagation by divisionand micropropagation as done in Canby, Oreg., shows that the foregoingcharacteristics and distinctions come true to form and are establishedand transmitted through succeeding propagations. The present inventionhas not been evaluated under all possible environmental conditions. Thephenotype may vary with variations in environment without a change inthe genotype of the plant.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a close up of the flowers of the new cultivar.

FIG. 2 shows one-year-old Veronica ‘TNVERA’ growing in the trial fieldin May in Canby, Oreg.

DETAILED PLANT DESCRIPTION

The following is a detailed description of the new Veronica cultivarbased on observations of one and a half-year-old specimens grown outsidein the ground in early September in trial beds in Canby, Oreg. Canby isZone 8 on the USDA Hardiness map. Temperatures range from a high of 95°F. in August to an average of 32° F. in January. Normal rainfall inCanby is 42.8 inches per year. The color descriptions are all based onThe Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 5^(th) edition.

-   Plant:    -   -   Form.—mat.        -   Type.—evergreen, mat forming subshrub/perennial/small scale            groundcover.        -   Cold hardiness.—USDA Zone 4-8.        -   Size.—grows to 37 cm wide and 14 cm tall to the top of the            foliage, 27 cm tall to the top of the flowers.        -   Vigor.—excellent.        -   Branching.—extremely well branched with about 40 stems from            the crown, older stems branching freely.        -   Stem.—grows to 14 mm long, pubescent, internodes range from            0.5 cm to 2 cm long, young stems Yellow Green 147C; older            woody stems grow to 6 mm wide, Brown 200A.        -   Roots.—fibrous, freely branching, plants root easily from            stem tip cuttings.-   Leaf:    -   -   Type.—simple.        -   Arrangement.—opposite.        -   Blade size.—grow to 35 mm long and 11 mm wide.        -   Petiole description.—11 mm long and 1 mm wide, pubescent,            Yellow Green 147B.        -   Shape.—lanceolate.        -   Venation.—pinnate.        -   Margins.—serrate.        -   Apex.—acute.        -   Base.—attenuate.        -   Surface texture.—pubescent of both sides.        -   Leaf color.—top side Green 137A with main vein 147B, bottom            side Green 137B with main vein 147B.-   Inflorescence:    -   -   Type.—terminal raceme.        -   Number of flowers.—about 70 per raceme.        -   Size of inflorescence.—spreads 2.5 cm wide and 15 cm long.        -   Peduncle.—15 mm to 20 mm long and 2 mm wide, pubescent,            Yellow Green 147B.        -   Pedicel.—1 mm long and 1 mm wide, pubescent, Yellow Green            147B.        -   Bloom period.—middle of May to end of June with some rebloom            in August in Canby, Oreg.-   Flower bud:    -   -   Size.—6 mm long and 2 mm wide at the widest point prior to            opening.        -   Description.—convolute, narrowly oblong, apex obtuse.        -   Surface texture.—glabrous.        -   Color.—Red Purple 64A.-   Flower:    -   -   Type.—regular.        -   Shape.—rotate.        -   Corolla description.—10 mm wide and 10 mm deep; both sides            glabrous, tube 3 mm long and 1.5 to 2.5 mm wide, Red Purple            69A inside and out, 4 lobes, Red Purple 68B inside and 70B            outside, upper lobe broadly obovate, 4 mm long and 5 mm            wide, tip obtuse, margin erose, side and bottom lobes 6 mm            long and 3 mm wide, obovate, tip obtuse, margin entire.        -   Calyx description.—campanulate, 3 mm wide and 3 mm deep,            4-lobed, lobes ovate, tips acute, margins entire, Green 137A            and pubescent on both sides.        -   Pistil description.—1, 8.5 mm long, ovary round, 1 mm long            and 1 mm wide, Yellow Green 144A, style 7 mm long, Purple            Violet N81A, stigma Violet 83A.        -   Stamen description.—2, filaments 9 mm long and Red Purple            73D, anthers 1.5 mm long and Purple Violet N81A, pollen            none.        -   Fragrance.—none.        -   Lastingness.—a raceme blooms for about 2 weeks on the plant.-   Seed: none.-   Pests and diseases: Disease and pest resistance is beyond what is    typical for Veronica species.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct form of Veronica plant substantially asshown and described.